Thread: Brand New Hart Custom Blade abnormalities...would you return?

Originally Posted by bran

E1049...every Hart razor, standard or artisan line, has the makers stamp on it. As far as I know this has been common knowledge since Hart started. You said you like yours, I don't understand how knowing that different men make Hart razors makes it inferior. As I mentioned, they are stamped/etched with the makers mark.

I too have a Robert Williams SRP LE. It is a great razor for an amazing price compared to what you would pay for a RW elsewhere. Unless you buy another SRP LE, you will never find another priced anywhere close to a Hart.

As you said, it has been a week...and it has here as well. I just choose to give them the opportunity to make it right. It doesn't matter to me when it was produced. I like the razor and want it like it should be for new...the rest is just useless info that will not improve my shave.

Hi bran-
First, I must point out that I never said that Hart Steel Razors were inferior. I apologize if the post led anyone to this impression as it was carefully worded to specifically not make this implication. It simply makes them less attractive to me by the nature of the business model.

I guess I had kind of a romantic notion of 10 people or so in a common shop facility, located in the good ol' US of A (where we haven't had any large manufacturer of straights in this country since Genco by my best guess) walking over to a barrel, pulling out a length of steel, and using common tooling, making a blank and finally, producing a finished razor, as opposed to a business entity announcing a marque, and soliciting privateers to sail under their flag.

Like I said, I love mine, simply because it's a well made razor that delivers a great shave and behaves itself on the hones. But personally, if I want a razor not made in a single facility with employees who show up for work in the morning in a common location, talk about razor stuff together at lunch, have W-2's instead of 1099's, and communally take pride in working together for their company's standing in the world of straight razor manufacturers, I'd prefer to seek out somebody who is working for their own marque.

And yes, RW is giving us all a price break on the SRP Custom. I should use a different example, though the RW SRP Custom is still I believe a pertinent example. How about Koraat blades? I've owned one. A damned fine blade. Maybe 75 or 100 bucks more than the Hart, but a hell of a lot of razor for that 100 bucks. Or our own Bruno's Snail Forge Razors? There are a host of others.

When I purchased mine, I didn't much care about the details of Harts businesses model, and if I didn't already own one, I would without hesitation add one to my stable. But, having one, I won't be buying any more. I'm not going chasing down Harts with individual artisan's initials on the tang.

I hope your week gets better. I'm sure HSR will make sure your blade is soon looking the cat's pajamas and giving you great shaves. I know mine does, and it looks great doing it.

I have never tried a Koraat and Snail Forge is next on my list to pick up. I like your choice of soap in your Hart pick (nice scales too). I used my Martin de Candre this morning. I am sorry if I came across harsh. I did not mean to (guess I should not post at 4:00 AM when I haven't slept in two days). It seems like this thread is descending into one bashing the vendor and artisan. I didn't mean for it to do that. I guess I should have known better. I simply wanted more experienced shavers to give me a, "yeah, that needs improving" or "no, get real and use it."

I have not seen any vendor bashing in this thread,would you buy a new expensive car with scratches in the paint?
I for one would not settle for a repair on that blade,insist on a new blade from an artisan that knows what he is doing, JMO

Originally Posted by bran

I have never tried a Koraat and Snail Forge is next on my list to pick up. I like your choice of soap in your Hart pick (nice scales too). I used my Martin de Candre this morning. I am sorry if I came across harsh. I did not mean to (guess I should not post at 4:00 AM when I haven't slept in two days). It seems like this thread is descending into one bashing the vendor and artisan. I didn't mean for it to do that. I guess I should have known better. I simply wanted more experienced shavers to give me a, "yeah, that needs improving" or "no, get real and use it."

You;ll love either, but I'd try Bruno's blade first. If your game, get one of his "finish it yourself blades". I had an awesome time doing mine.



And MdC is a guilty pleasure. An extravagance I'm willing to pay for, in spite of the price. Love all three flavors!

And I too have had a hell of a week or two. My dad and father in law both currently hospitalized, dad with a heart attack last week and my father in law (who I actually really, really like) yesterday morning with a stroke. Looks bad for both of them. Plus my tamahagane Iwasaki Western style razor hit the floor and broke a couple days ago when the attachment point of the display case I'd just put it in failed.



So it's just been a helluva couple of weeks.

You've done the right thing in my opinion, and I am quite sure Hart will do the right thing by you.

Here's hoping for a better week next week! <group manhug>

If the quality of the grind is in question, it follows that we should wonder about the quality of the temper. Just saying........because my one and only Hart arrived sans bevel set. For real.....l was compensated for honing it myself. For real!

Hart razors are made and marketed two different ways.

A. Hart Steel...pick a size, pick a finish, pick a point (round or square), pick a set of scales. You're done. The blade is made by James Arman, Bruce Gregory, or Terry Van Norman in their home shops. No idea who makes the scales.

B. Hart Artisanal Razors-same blade blanks but made with whatever finish, style, size, point, scales, etc. the maker wants to use. Essentially the same razor, just tricked out some. I think they make their own scales. Cannot say for sure though.

I have one of each. The plain vanilla Hart Steel 7/8, no worries.

The Hart "Artisanal" 6/8..well......

Pictures below-



Looks nice, right??



This is how off center the blade was. I finally sent it back to Hart (in California; me paying postage) where it was then sent to Michigan for "repair". That was last month. No idea when I will see it.

For sure, I remain a fan of Hart Steel; they are a nice razor. But I don't believe overlooking or rationalizing lack of quality control if it involves things meant to be "State of the Art". Indeed, these guys are impressing a lot of people-
http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/trending

Surely not as dramatic a flaw as the OP's razor, but for nearly $400?? Really?? No way I would keep that. Hope you get things resolved. Patience they say...........

I finally got my razor back today. The artisan repaired the blade to my satisfaction. I am getting ready to use it for my daily shave. The retailer handled the transaction. My biggest complaint is their lack of communication. They couldn't even bring themselves to respond to multiple emails (3 over the past two weeks) asking for an update. It will be a while before I purchase from them again.

Originally Posted by bran

I finally got my razor back today. The artisan repaired the blade to my satisfaction. I am getting ready to use it for my daily shave. The retailer handled the transaction. My biggest complaint is their lack of communication. They couldn't even bring themselves to respond to multiple emails (3 over the past two weeks) asking for an update. It will be a while before I purchase from them again.

So you bought a new blade and now you have a repaired blade,something not right with this picture IMO.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

So you bought a new blade and now you have a repaired blade,something not right with this picture IMO.

I don't think i would buy any of their products if it's going to be that way. I bought a Waterhouse razor & Michael personally updated me from time to time. He updates you when he is working on your razor. His customs are high quality and cheaper in price than the Hart. My razor turned out so nice he features it on his home page. It is the one with the honey horn scales.
Michael Waterhouse Knives

I was going to leave this thread alone but after all the comments I just have to have my say. I am pretty sure I know the vendor and they are doing the right thing. I went through this also and they did right by me. The problem I have and the one that really worries me is this. Hart has several artisans. I have had razors by three of them and some were great quality and one was pretty much junk and not acceptable. There have been numerous threads on different forums with these same issues lately and Hart has failed to respond. That really bothers me and it appears ( I want to highlight appears) that they don't care?? Really?? If I owned this company I would be on this like stink on ( well you know what I mean) The other thing that is very alarming is how can this pass out of a so called artisans hands to quality control and on to a vendor and nobody caught it ( or is it they just didn't care) This is not a one time situation and needs to be corrected fast. I love the Harts I have and would buy another but not right now and if they do not fix what is going on I never will again. So sad!

As a side note- A vendor that offers to send you postage to return an item is a good vendor trying to do the right thing and they did so. When I get something that is totally not acceptable and the vendor says send it back ( on my dime) and we will replace it, I just write them off and chalk it up to experience and never use them again.

I had a new Hart sent to me that had very uneven jimps that looked like a beginner made them. I emailed the vendor and offered a photo and they quickly responded with ( here is postage to return it and we have another on its way to you) now that's how it should be